Animal Welfare Bills in the 2014 Washington State Legislature

Fighting for animals is often an uphill battle. Animals don’t usually get a lot of respect of attention in the legislature. That’s why it’s important to let your state reps know that animals matter!

For the 2014 session, several animal-related bills will be brought before the legislature.

SB 5202 Companion Animal Spay/Neuter Assistance. This is a follow-up of the substitute spay/neuter bill that passed the senate in 2013. The substitute bill doesn’t include the original pet-food fee funding source, but it does provide the basic outline of a statewide spay/neuter assistance program. The bill will need to be reconsidered in the senate before it can proceed to the house.

SB 5203 Limiting Sales of Animals in Public Places. This bill would restrict certain sales of animals in public places, such as roadside sales. A draft substitute bill, that improves the original bill introduced in 2013, is currently being prepared .

SB 5204 Animal Cruelty Prevention. This bill covers several issues. It tightens up the animal fighting law, addresses animals confined in vehicles and other spaces during extreme temperatures, and cleans up the definition of second-degree animal cruelty. A draft substitute bill has already been prepared, which includes a new provision to correct weaknesses in the first-degree animal cruelty statute.

HB 2117 Breed Based Dog Regulations. More than two dozen cities in this state have breed-based bans. The bans place restrictions on certain breeds (usually pit bulls). In the 2014 session, a bill is being introduced that, if passed, would prevent a dog’s breed from being a factor in a ban or in classifying him or her as dangerous or potentially dangerous. Read more about how you can help bring pass this bill here.

Thanks to Save Washington Pets (Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation) for the info about these bills.